132 Brooklyn Buildings Have Four Months to Improve

The Department of Housing preservation compiled a list of 200 buildings in the city with numerous outstanding violations and has given them four months to make the majority of the repairs. While the Astral is not mentioned in the NYT article, I would be surprised if it's not on the list. With 120 units, many of which are infested with bedbugs and have leaky ceilings (and probably mold), I imagine it has to be at the top of the HDP's list. If not, it should be.

Bedbugs: I Got Them From a Toilet Seat, I Swear

Fuck. I have bedbugs. While I doubt they've made it to my room yet (I have no bites), my roommate has had a steady stream of 7-12 bites (that she's convinced are bedbug bites) for the past month or so. Yesterday, she found what she thought was a baby bedbug on the shower curtain.

I spent the morning in Inspector Gadget mode, using magnifying glasses and flashlights to inspect every nook and cranny in my room, ready to attack with a product called "Kills Bedbugs." Luckily, nothing... yet.

I spent the remainder of my day on the phone trying to get someone at my management company to understand the urgency of this situation. "Don't worry, I have it under control," said the woman who minutes before told me she'd call an exterminator on Monday. Monday?!?

Then I tried calling 311 and after a series of transfers, I finally made it to the housing court of Kings County, where a woman told me they won't tell me my tenant rights over the phone. "We only give legal advice in person."

I called the management company back. Still "under control." What's been done? "I'll call the super." Great.

The worst part? The guy who lived in my apartment before me--who I happen to know--never told me he'd had bedbugs. Three fucking times. When we went to look at the place we specifically asked if they had bug problems. "Nope."

Here's how my conversation went down with him today:

me: quick question... did you guys ever have a bed bug problem?
him: oh yeah
I'm pretty sure that they come in through the front window
people drop bedbug infested matresses [sic] out there all the time
they are horrendous little fuckers
me: seriously, you guys had bed bugs?
him: 3 separate times
me: wow, i wish i would have known that
him: we got rid of them each time
shit, they're everywhere in the hood [greenpoint]
it's impossible to avoid them anymore
...
me: i have to admit, had i known you guys had had a problem, i wouldn't have taken this apartment
him: well...
it's not a problem in the apartment
it's a problem in the neighborhood
I guess I figured it was everywhere by now

Obviously, I'm disturbed on many levels. And obviously, I was way too nice to "him."

UPDATE: False alarm! Whew. We did a thorough investigation and extermination, and have been doing regular maintenance exterminations. I have yet to get a bite or see one. I'm not letting those fuckers in here. Ever.